Vlassov and Meekins are also the reigning World Jr champs Mathman, LOL

Anyway, I have a few notes from my day at the Indy Challenge today but unfortunately, they were a lot clearer when I actually wrote them, LOL I'll do my best to write up my thoughts on a few of the teams that impressed me today. I had a great day today although I didn't really get to meet anyone there. If anyone was there, I was the girl in the coral colored shirt and the grey Roots jacket sitting about four rows up most of the day (until I lost my seat to the Florida contingent for the Sr Pairs LPs, LOL). I really enjoyed the competition and I took quite a few pictures too. I really hate the netting and hockey glass but I got some nice shots of just about all the teams. I'll post those either tomorrow or Monday night. And I definitely have a few new fave teams that I'll be following this year. Here are a few of my thoughts from the LPs I saw today. I didn't write a lot of technical stuff down so I hope you don't mind if its just my random thoughts!

Jr Pairs
First off, I was about to scream about how I wuzrobbed of seeing Keauna and Rockne but after hearing about her injury, I just hope she is okay. I was really looking forward to seeing them though.

Moore/Gaumond-I wrote down 'personality!' next to their names and she really did have a lot of personality in their program today. He did too and I think that's why I enjoyed them so much. They really performed their program and I hope they continue to skate together because they were really enjoyable for me.

Davis/Hatfield-She had the scariest fall I have ever seen on any kind of twist in their program today and this was after she took a hard fall on a double axel in the warm up. They were understandably shaken up after that and didn't really skate all out the rest of the way. I think they have some potential though if they work out that twist glitch because they are a good team and well matched.

Guillen/Curzon-This will be my shallow comment of the day because they didn't have the cleanest program but her dress was just GORGEOUS. I did get a few nice pictures of it during their program but it was beautiful and really fit their music. I also wrote down that she fought hard to land both throws and seeing something like that always reminds me how tough these pairs girls are! They are definitely fearless.

Brown/Miller-They didn't have the cleanest skate but I really enjoyed their program. Their music choice is bugging me though because I KNOW the music....I just can't remember it. Can anyone help me out!? In a moment that I thought was really sweet, Nathan went over and hugged Claire after she had that bad fall on the twist. I guess he wanted to make sure she was okay. I really love seeing these friendships in the lower ranked skaters.

Okamoto/Berning-OK, here's another music question....theirs also sounded familiar. Can anyone help me out here too!? I really do have notes by these pairs that say "music?!" so I could remember to find out later on, LOL

Paetsch/Nuss-Umm, I have WOW written by their names and had they not won the LP today, I would have to file a protest because they were awesome. I missed seeing them at US Nats this past January due to my volunteer schedule but I really liked their program in the final exhibition. I was very curious about them after that and they did not disappoint me today. They skated to a medley of big band music and were another team to really perform their program. She is adorable! They were so much fun and very polished and clean too. Their technical elements were wonderful aside from one botched lift and if they skate this good at US Nats this year, they will win the US Junior Pairs gold medal. They were the highlight of the day for me.

Novice Pairs
This is the first time I've ever seen a novice pairs competition and thank goodness it wasn't quite as scary as people have told me it can be! I wasn't prepared to see any more falls after the one Claire took in the junior competition so thank goodness the mistakes weren't too bad in novice today.

Tanovich/Chau-This was my favorite pair in this part of the competition. They were doing difficult tricks but they were also doing them pretty darn well. I don't think they were attempting anything too hard for themselves in their program either and that's a good thing for a young team. I think they have a lot of potential and a lot of personality too. They were really cute.

Bedall/Williams-I was sitting near her family and I overheard them talking about how she had been sick. I hoped she would be okay for their program and I was very impressed. They skated pretty darn well for her not feeling that good all day. They only had one mistake that I noted and I enjoyed their music (they skated to Phantom of the Opera....one of my fave musicals). They have some potential and I hope she feels better soon.

Carmen/Knierim-They had on rodeo style outfits and they were definitely into their music! She was adorable and they skated pretty well too. I enjoyed their program although she wins my award for the tiniest girl in the competition. She is pretty thin and I kept worrying she would break in half on the jumps and throws.

Yankowskas/Cohen-I really enjoyed this team too. They were polished, clean (for the most part), and are another one I think has a lot of potential. I think they only had one error in their program and it was a stepout on a jump (I think).

Sr Pairs
Anyone know what happened to Moyle & Seitz that kept them from competing in the LP today? I was looking forward to seeing this team today too. I hope everything is all right with them.

Castile/Okolski-I really enjoy this team, I have for a few years now, and they didn't disappoint today. They were great overall although she had a fall on one of their throws. They finally got rid of their Romeo & Juliet program (I think they used that for two years all ready and while I like it, I wanted to see something new from them) and this one suits them well. Again, I'm going to ask if anyone knows their music because its driving me nuts too! LOL Their lifts were really great and they definitely seem ready for the new season.

Vlassov/Meekins-I LOVE this team and they didn't disappoint me either. The last time I saw them skate live at US Nats, they were a bit lethargic and just not on at all. They were MUCH better today and I wonder if winning that World Jr. title has given them some extra confidence. They had one minor mistake somewhere (I didn't note the mistake, only noted that they had one) but overall, I really enjoyed their program. I am looking foward to seeing how they do in their first year as seniors this year.

Katz/Lynch-This is another team that I enjoy watching, particularly because she is always smiling and seems so happy to be out on the ice. They weren't totally clean but their lifts were great and they definitely are a team on the rise if they can get a handle of their technical stuff. They skated to WSS and I'm starting to wonder if that's going to be the Romeo and Juliet of this season (I felt like too many pairs were skating to R&J last year, LOL).

Denney/Barrett-I was sitting with the Florida contingent in this part of the competition which ended up being fun because they were really energetic during their program. I could have done without the little kids who kept talking, screaming, and getting in front of me but what can you do. Anyway, Jeremy and Caydee were really great technically but I think they need a little bit more polish on their presentation and finishing off elements. They have a lot of potential though and I liked their program.

Trombley/Ibarra-The last time I saw this girl was at the Indy Challenge last year (I don't think I saw her at US Nats but I could be wrong) and I wrote down that she's really improved a lot since then. They did a really nice job overall in their program and maybe she just needed a better partner to bring out her personality and strengths in skating.

Wehrle/Kole-She doesn't seem too much shorter than Brittney so I'm a bit confused as to why that team broke up last year now. I though it was because she got too tall but Amber isn't much shorter than Nick either. I do think this team has some potential but they had a very rough afternoon. Hopefully they can shake it off and do better in their next competition.

That's all I have written down from today. I actually stuck around during the Solo Dance tests and that was really interesting for me. I've never seen how the testing works so I enjoyed getting a chance to watch these young girls skate their dances today. I thought they were all great but I don't know a foxtrot from a samba so I really am not sure what all I watched in that competition today, LOL

Tanovich/Chau- I don't remember any mistakes. Both of them were very flexible. I enjoyed their performance a lot.

Juniors

Paetsch/Nuss- I agree. They did have the WOW factor. They were definitly the best in juniors!

Seniors

Katz/Lynch- My favorites! Beautiful Program to music from West Side Story. It was a great skate except for a step out on a throw.

Vlassov/Meekins- They skated fantastic. The one mistake was a step out on a throw, too.

Denney/Barrett- Throws are amazing. It seemed like it was element after element. They need to improve their presentation.

Castile/Okoloski- The only mistake was a fall on a throw. Their lifts were amazing. Other teams, it seemed like the same lifts were repeated over and over again. Castile and Okoloski had different positions and difficult entries and exits.

Indy Challenge was an international monitoring competition for U.S. pairs, and I'm hoping (fingers crossed!) that Castile/Okolski (2nd overall) and Katz/Lynch (3rd) may receive a Senior B assignment as a result of their performances here.